History of Liberia
As the race to claim stake in Africa came underway in the late nineteenth century, European influence on the continent had long been felt by the indigenous people. Pre-colonial African Kingdoms had established trade with the early European explorers. As the trade relationships amongst tribes and the Europeans enhanced, the abundance of African resources such as agriculture, precious metals and more importantly slaves often left with the ships of the explorers. As time went on, the trading of slaves from places such as Angola and West Africa became one of the more profitable sources of revenue for the Europeans and eventually the Americas. European (& later American) influence swayed the creation of many African countries, …show more content…
By 1871, Liberia it takes out the first of several major foreign loans; the loans come primarily from Britain (PBS). After thirty years plus years, the constitution was ratified in 1907 to change the presidential term years from 2 to 4 years. Seven years later the outbreak of WWI had affected the globe; Liberia wasn’t exempt from this. With pressure from Great Britain and the United States, Liberia joined the fight reluctantly. With Liberia joining the fight on the side of the Allies, “within the same year, Germany retaliates against Liberia's declaration of war by shelling the capital, Monrovia. The Liberian economy is subsequently crippled when the country loses its great economic ally in Germany (PBS).” Due to the war and the loss of German commerce, Liberia was subject to invasion from a new predator; one the held economic and international prowess. The new foe that Liberia faces includes the Firestone Company, and other corporations. Agreements between Liberia, these companies and other African countries left problems that can be felt to this day. For instance Firestone and the Liberian had come to an agreement over the purchase of land in the late 1920s; “the agreement grants Firestone the right to lease one million acres of land for 99 years and to exploit any gold, diamonds, and other minerals found on that land (Global Connections).” Forced labor which had been a problem for the Liberian people had finally come to the spotlight and eventually led to the overthrowing of Charles D.B. King, Liberia’s President at the time. Although many horrible things during this time period have happened, with the help of the American Colonization Society and philanthropy groups, Booker T. Washington Institute is founded in the spring of 1929. “Modeled after Washington's Tuskegee Institute in Tuskegee, Alabama, The Booker T Washington Institute in Liberia is the
As the race to claim stake in Africa came underway in the late nineteenth century, European influence on the continent had long been felt by the indigenous people. Pre-colonial African Kingdoms had established trade with the early European explorers. As the trade relationships amongst tribes and the Europeans enhanced, the abundance of African resources such as agriculture, precious metals and more importantly slaves often left with the ships of the explorers. As time went on, the trading of slaves from places such as Angola and West Africa became one of the more profitable sources of revenue for the Europeans and eventually the Americas. European (& later American) influence swayed the creation of many African countries, …show more content…
By 1871, Liberia it takes out the first of several major foreign loans; the loans come primarily from Britain (PBS). After thirty years plus years, the constitution was ratified in 1907 to change the presidential term years from 2 to 4 years. Seven years later the outbreak of WWI had affected the globe; Liberia wasn’t exempt from this. With pressure from Great Britain and the United States, Liberia joined the fight reluctantly. With Liberia joining the fight on the side of the Allies, “within the same year, Germany retaliates against Liberia's declaration of war by shelling the capital, Monrovia. The Liberian economy is subsequently crippled when the country loses its great economic ally in Germany (PBS).” Due to the war and the loss of German commerce, Liberia was subject to invasion from a new predator; one the held economic and international prowess. The new foe that Liberia faces includes the Firestone Company, and other corporations. Agreements between Liberia, these companies and other African countries left problems that can be felt to this day. For instance Firestone and the Liberian had come to an agreement over the purchase of land in the late 1920s; “the agreement grants Firestone the right to lease one million acres of land for 99 years and to exploit any gold, diamonds, and other minerals found on that land (Global Connections).” Forced labor which had been a problem for the Liberian people had finally come to the spotlight and eventually led to the overthrowing of Charles D.B. King, Liberia’s President at the time. Although many horrible things during this time period have happened, with the help of the American Colonization Society and philanthropy groups, Booker T. Washington Institute is founded in the spring of 1929. “Modeled after Washington's Tuskegee Institute in Tuskegee, Alabama, The Booker T Washington Institute in Liberia is the